Strong brand recognized throughout the world.
A company that’s easy to work for and allows us to utilize our capabilities.
Murakami
So the first question is that the first you heard of Fujifilm: What was your impression of Fujifilm? Maybe it was a photograph company or health care company. What did you think of Fujifilm?
Nassif
It was definitely the camera. So. Yes, I was not aware that Fujifilm was in the biotech industry at all. So when I started reviewing this company, that's when I learned about it. But right off the bat, you initially think of the Instax cameras, it’s really popular.
Bolish
I’d say, because I had worked in the biotech industry for a long time, I was aware of Fujifilm. You know, they have a good reputation, I would say, in the biopharmaceutical industry. So I was aware of Fujifilm and their reputation as kind of a top tier CDMO. But I had not worked directly with Fujifilm, so it was more just kind of associated them with a solid reputation. But I did not know the specifics about it.
Murakami
You knew that Fujifilm were doing biotech? Your key area? Before you come here and I mean.
Bolish
Yes, I was aware, but certainly the larger name recognition for camera or film. You know, my daughter was excited to hear that I would work for Fujifilm because she likes to take pictures with film and she said, “Can you get me some film?”.
Sadayasu
So can I ask something to you? So knowing that Fujifilm is more of a camera or a photo company, why did you choose?
Nassif
It is a recognized brand, right? The Fujifilm brand is very well recognized, I think, regardless of whether it's cameras or biotech. Working for a global company comes with its own prestige.
Murakami
And I have one more question. You used to work in the automobile company. Why did you choose to work in a biotech in HR?
Nassif
I think HR, regardless of the industry is pretty much the same. Especially in California. California law is very strict. And so you can apply those laws across different industries. So the industry wasn't I think the factor, it was more of like the company, and is it a good company to work for. I want to be a part of it and be able to apply the things I've learned and my skills to a new industry.
Extensive opportunities for new experiences and making contributions as members of a global-scale, increasingly large, community and network.
Murakami
So maybe you told me already, but I would like to ask you that it has been one and a half years since you guys became one of the members of Fujifilm group, what is a good thing? And then also what is an improvable thing about being one of the members of Fujifilm?
Nassif
And I think the good thing obviously, is the support. Right? And overall, I think we talked about it, the overall network and having support at different levels, whether that's FDB or we have HR US and also Tokyo. So the support to work for a trusted company and one that wants to invest in its people is really nice. I would say the area of improvement is brand recognition, right? We see that a lot of especially in Diosynth, it's not as well known as maybe the other brands. Fujifilm Diosynth.
Sadayasu
Fujifilm as in biotech company? So Fujifilm is camera. Fujifilm… Biotech? (With a question mark.)
Murakami
So, yeah it’s the same in Japan, you know, students always ask me why Fujifilm is getting into the biotech area.
Bolish
Yeah I would say for me probably the positive things is the kind of, the vision and the mission of Fujifilm and Fujifilm Diosynth is a very respectable, you know, admirable mission. So I think that's important. And that, you know, I think leadership is true to trying to pursue the vision that has been laid out. You know, I think also that the people as in there's a lot of good high quality people throughout the organization, as what I would say would be the most positive things.
I think some of the opportunities of what we can continue to improve is to better leverage the capabilities across companies within the Fujifilm Network, you know, both in terms of the other sites within Fujifilm Diosynth, but also just the other companies under the Fujifilm umbrella. We started to have some good collaboration with companies like Fuji Irvine Scientific, Fuji Cellular Dynamics. B Cell in Tokyo. But I think continuing to improve, taking advantage of the enormous amount of capability that a company of this size has.
Murakami
You used to work in a different company, right? What's the biggest change from previous company?
Bolish
Good question. I think it's probably the broader opportunities that we have. working for an innovator company, is your focus specifically on the products of that company? You know, we are now in a position where we're offering services to a wide spectrum. So we get a chance to see new technologies, different ways of doing things, and then figuring out how we can how we can meet those challenges, take advantage of that.
So I'd say probably the diversity of the experience and opportunities that we see is as broader as being part of, you know, Fujifilm Diosynth than being part of a single innovator company.
Sadayasu
So in general, creating a drug product is really, really difficult. It's one in a million - maybe, I don't know, one in 100,000 possibility. So if you're an innovator, you might not throughout your entire life, you might not meet that delivering to the patient. But in CDMO or having multiple clients, multiple drug opportunities, maybe out of ten one can be delivered to the patient. And I think that's an encouragement.
Murakami
That could be your motivation.
Foreign assignees help make connections within Fujifilm group.
Teams learn from and motivate each other.
Murakami
So we go to the next question. It's about Mr.Sadayasu, what was your first impression when he first came here?
Bolish
I think the first meeting that I had with him, he came and introduced himself and he said, some people might refer to me as the spy, a corporate spy. But really, this is what I want to do. But he has always been very respectful. He's been a good corporate partner to me, you know, great collaboration. So it's been a very valuable resource for me to help better understand Fujifilm, to better understand how to interact and bring issues or needs to top management level, and to his credit, you know, he comes from a financial background, so not scientific biotech, but he's also taken the time and the effort to learn our business. You probably saw from the tour today, I think he could do the tour without me. So I think that's very important in a role like this as somebody that's willing to come and learn the business. You know, he never says, “Well, my job is just to do this,” right. You know, he's basically there as a resource to help wherever we need. So it's been very valuable. Plus he's just a nice guy. So thank you.
Nassif
I would say also for an employee engagement, if Mr.Sadayasu comes to our events and it's really nice having him involved and coming out and joining us on all the different activities we do. And I know the employees appreciate it, because we feel like, you know, we’re getting support. So it’s nice. They can relate to you I think and can have conversation, yeah.
Murakami
Do you also talk to all the staff?
Sadayasu
Yes I enjoyed that actually. I think my expectation would be similar to what Ms.Nassif is doing today, but I think I'm way below to that. I only know some, you know, members across this entire organization. But I would try to reach, you know, on knowing each individual people by people. And it's just there's a good atmosphere, I think, you know, thanks to you on that.
Nassif
It's a group effort.
Sadayasu
Everyone, what I learned is that everyone's really motivated not only for the business contribution, but building his or her career plan or building - it's looking forward for the next step. They're really, really aggressive to do something new or something, something that's challenging. And I know that a lot of people do some, you know, studying of MBA during the weekend, during the night time. And I just, I'm always amazed to hear those. You know.
Bolish
I think the other thing that's been important about Mr.Sadayasu’s role is not only is it just him, but he's a good conduit to other resources within Fujifilm. So I have close relations/ relationship with some Japanese staff, and we have regular meetings that Mr.Sadayasu helps to facilitate this communication. So I think it's really that role of helping to connect us with others in the organization and even when we're meeting with other Fujifilm companies, Mr.Sadayasu really does a good job of establishing those contacts and setting up those meetings and looking for synergies and opportunities for the different companies to work together.
Sadayasu
Yeah, I think in order to do such type of connecting dots to dots in a line, the reason why I'm trying to study more about the cell therapy is without any knowledge of the technology I can't speak to what is the need here? versus what they can do? So that's why that motivates me to learn, what is therapy, what is the process, what type of things work? - are done from the team here.
Murakami
So I really understand that, Mr.Sadayasu is playing a really good role.
A patient-first mentality.
Helping patients is our No. 1 priority.
Murakami
Next will be the last question. So what makes you attract working in a CDMO business?
Bolish
I think it was maybe like what we were saying earlier is the opportunity to see technologies and products from a wide range of different companies. And I think there's also an element of we are selling a service, you know, not just a product. So we're really selling the capability of our staff and ourselves. You know, when we have a client come in, we often bring the entire SLT in to talk with that client so they can get to know us. And they understand that the service and the capabilities that we're offering demonstrate what we're capable of as people in a team; more so than just saying, hey, we have a facility or a technology that you need. So I think that makes it a bit more of a challenge and really drives us to be really good at what we're doing.
Murakami
Do you feel like you're helping people or feel good working in your CDMO business?
Bolish
Certainly. You know, I think that's why many of us came to work in the biotech and pharmaceutical business as that opportunity that, you know, especially at this facility here every day, we're shipping the product directly to a patient. You know, I've had the opportunity to have patients that have taken the products that we've manufactured here, come through the facility, you know, and a chance for them to see what goes into making the product that maybe saved their lives or had a significant impact on their lives, is pretty special. And I think all of the staff that work here, you know, feel that and that's what motivates us.
You know, we take a patient-first mentality. You know, we have a lot of goals. We're concerned about costs, we're concerned about all these other things. But when it comes to serving a patient, that's always the top priority. So if it means somebody is working on the weekend or they're working late because it means we can get a shipment out, you know, that always comes first. So I would say that is that is certainly first and foremost.
Nassif
I’m still learning a lot about the industry. But just like Mr.Bolish said, it is really exciting. And the employees, you can see them that they come in because they care. And so you see them staying here late working because they have a goal and they have a mission to accomplish, and it's to serve the patients first. So it's a great culture that it's providing, but it's amazing to see what we're doing here every day.
Murakami
Do you feel they are proud of working here?
Nassif
100% yes. And they're really excited, I think, about like new clients and what else are we going to do and who else are we going to serve to continue growing? So you can definitely see that the excitement.
Sadayasu
I think being at the site is way more different than being at the Tokyo office looking at that, you know, data that's been described in their Power Point or spreadsheet. You know, it's more about the value that we’re creating. So definitely being here, knowing the process, meeting the people, looking at each other's eyes that tell us that this is not something that anyone can do, you know. So there's a purpose for us to be here and the purpose of why Fujifilm purchased this site. So I think I feel that, you know, I have been given a great opportunity, first of all, and I'm really pleased for being here and being part of this team. And I think that's motivated me more than anything else today.
